At Rest, Fine Art Print on Watercolor Paper 8 x 10

Description

This is a print of my pen and ink drawing, "At Rest." Printed onto watercolor paper, this measures at 8 x 10 inches (ideal for framing) and used earth friendly inks while maintaining museum quality. It features a windstruck crow perched upon a branch amongst a swirl of autumn leaves.

This print comes accompanied with an elaborate write-up regarding both the meaning of the piece, as well as the artisitc process in which it was created. Done in a Papyrus font, this is how that reads:

“At Rest”—this pen & ink drawing is the first illustration in the artist’s “Bird Series” that until now has not been done by way of collage. However, it falls into her collection, “The Archetype Series,” as well. A pensive crow perches upon a branch, perhaps ready to doze off, while all around leaves scatter to the wind.

The crow is most associated with death and with the Goddess. In The Woman’s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects, Barbara G. Walker explores the many aspects of the crow. The Tantric Death-goddess known as Kali Ma was often represented by crows (and other scavenger animals) because she wandered burial and cremation grounds and was popularly depicted feasting upon the entrails of her dead consort, Siva. In fact, female devotees of Kali often followed suit by cannibalizing the dead themselves; their intent was to be impregnated with the spirits of the deceased, and to then act as the vehicle in which to give them rebirth. This act reflected the “primitive stratum of human thought, long before patriarchy or its recognition of fatherhood, to a time when it was believed that only mothers could give birth and [more significantly] rebirth [and did so without any aid from men]” (Walker). To add to this notion, J.E. Cirlot states in A Dictionary of Symbols, that “because of its black colour, the crow is associated with the idea of beginning (as expressed in such symbols as the maternal night, primigenial darkness, [and] the fertilizing earth.”

In Norse mythology, the shape-shifting Valkries (“battle-maids”), wore raven feathers and were known as the “man-eating women,” reminiscent not only of Kali’s battle frenzy, but of women in general who after war were the only ones left to tend to the dead.

Walker explains that the terminology, “ ‘Crow’ really means a family of closely related carrion-eating birds [that include] the rook (Corvus frugilegus), raven (Corvus corax), and carrion crow (Corvus corone).” According to Medieval superstition, actual crow’s feet were thought to be used by witches to cast death spells. Walker suggests that the facial wrinkles on women must have been associated with crone-hood, and thus impending death, because as she cleverly points out, “otherwise, [just] on the basis of shape alone the wrinkles could have been named for the feet of any bird.” Women should be honored to be adorned with such deep wrinkles as they age because they mark infinity.

Sarah Elizabeth Taz Schantz lives in Boulder, CO where she is currently working on many art collections, but is most commonly recognized for her Tarot series done entirely in collage. More printed magick (fine art prints, greeting cards, magnets, etc.) provided at her webshop, AnangkaArts.Etsy.com. Copyright, 2007. Fine Art Prints on Watercolor Paper, $30.00 each.

The original has sold. These prints have been signed, dated and numbered on the back. The watermark will not appear on your print. "At Rest" Copyright, 2007.

Please convo me for international shipping charges. Thanks!

This print will be mailed to you within a cello sleeve and supported by chipboard. This package will be inside an even sturdier envelope that I've marked obsessively in red, the words, "Do Not Bend!!!" Please allow one week for me to process and ship your order (although it rarely takes that long). Let me know if you need a little hustle or purchase the priority mail shipping option to speed the process up more so. Thanks for looking and for buying handmade!!! We simply can't afford not to int his day and age!!!

Added on Sep 09, 2009

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